Rikutsaren
Classification and Dialects The Řikūts̆reb language is an a priori conlang, and the last remaining member of the Asermian language family. There are 3 extinct main dialects of the Asermian family; Rakuietrab, Rakjiehrab, and Rakwiktrab. Of these, Rakwiktrab had 3 sub-dialects. Rakuietrab Rakuietrab was the original language of the Asermian family. It was created out of a substitution cipher and an alphabet based on the Immajer Simlish Alphabet. Initially, it used the original Immajer Simlish script, with the addition of lowercase letters created separately by Netwafekzră Vrokă, the creator of the Asermian language family. In an attempt to create a cursive variant, Vrokă found an appealing style of lettering, so he abandoned the original script and created what would eventually become the Old Řikūts̆reb script. ''Late Transitional Rakuietrab *'' Late Transitional Rakuietrab is a possible version of Rakuietrab that shares many aspects with Early Rakwiktrab. It is unofficial and is still under investigation. Early Rakwiktrab Old Rakwiktrab was merely Rakuietrab, except this time it had a newer substitution cipher where no letter occurred twice or corresponding to its mirror (such as H becoming H, or A and L both becoming R). Old Rakwiktrab had no verb conjugation system or definite grammatical structure. Transitional Rakwiktrab Transitional Rakwiktrab was a variety of different revisions to Old Rakwiktrab. Transitional Rakwiktrab was more of a time period than a sub-dialect, and it saw the addition of the original “TVZ” verb conjugation system (which was replaced later in the same period by the “NTK” system and then the later “NVK” system), the implementation of the modern two-class alphabet, and the complete overhaul of the Rakwiktrab syllabary. This transition also saw the foundations of the modern grammatical structure of Řikūts̆reb take form, especially regarding the establishment of the “apostrophe rule”. Rakjiehrab Rakjiehrab, formerly called Dezisabek Rakwiktrab, was a relatively unused dialect of the Asermian language family. It was created in October of 2013, while Vrokă was still attempting to memorise his own language. He found himself without the sheet that allowed him to translate his words into Rakwiktrab. In response, he reconstructed the cipher as best he could using words he remembered in Rakwiktrab. However, this cipher was not exact, and upon realising this, Vrokă named it Faouarese Asermian. This name was later changed to Dezisabek Rakwiktrab, and then finally to Rakjiehrab. The Rakjiehrab Alphabet was very small compared to the Rakwiktrab alphabet at that time, just 30 or so letters. It was originally intended for scientific use, then for residents of Dezisab, then for scientific use again. It was never used for any of those purposes though, aside from a vague sheet of paper outlining the structure of DNA. Rakjiehrab never expanded as Rakwiktrab did during the transition, and even by then, it had faded into disuse. Late Rakwiktrab Late Rakwiktrab was a result of the Transition Period, and possessed a nearly modern alphabet. It also used the Later “NVK” system, at least to the extent of the present and preterit tenses. It was from Late Rakwiktrab that Řikūts̆reb would come to be. Early Řiküçreb Early Řiküçreb was created in late December of 2014. Its major difference from Rakwiktrab was that it now used a complicated translation system that restructured the spelling of certain words, and no longer used a cipher to create new words. However, many words were unchanged between the two languages, especially ones used commonly. Expanded Řikūts̆reb Expanded Řikūts̆reb is the most recent variant of Řikūts̆reb. It is currently in use and constantly being tweaked. Expanded Řikūts̆reb sees the addition of 4 new persons in the conjugation scheme, and a complete overhaul of the Řikūts̆reb Script. Expanded Řikūts̆reb is unique in that it now has a definite grammatical structure and a finalised verb conjugation system. Expanded Řikūts̆reb also sees the addition of a new grammatical concept not seen in any other language or conlang; the Juiscal Mood. In addition, the Orthography has been completely reconstructed. Information on these new concepts can be found elsewhere on this page. * Still under study and remains unofficial. Phonology Consonants Vowels Phonotactics Writing System This list contains the Latin version of the Řikūts̆reb Alphabet until a proper typeset can be made. Grammar Spelling The Řiküçreb language has many rules that dictate the placement of phonemes. They are listed below. this section is a work in progress, and may be re-formatted later on. #Definition of a "word" as used in this section: A term that has no additions (such as conjugations, suffixes, prefixes, etc.) #'Y rules:' ##Y will always occur as Ī when at the end of a word. ##If Y occurs at the start of a word, it remains a consonant. ###If it is followed by the letter W, Y becomes Ø and the W is removed. ##If Y occurs between the start and end of a word, it will become Ī. ###Unless preceded or followed by a vowel, in which case it will remain a consonant. ###Unless preceded by another consonant (except for W and Y) and followed by T, in which case it will become AJ when stressed, and I when unstressed. ####If preceded by W, the Y becomes Ø and the W is removed. ##Y will occur as a consonant between the start and the end of a word if and ONLY if ALL of the following are true: ###It is followed by the letters A or O. ####If followed by Ū or U, Y becomes JŪ. ####If preceded by A, becomes I. ###It is in syllable onset. ###The previous syllable ends with the letters I,Ī, or AJ. #'the Ô rule:' Ô occurs if "O" is stressed and only between the start and end of a word. #'the Z̆ rule:' Z̆ occurs if preceded by a vowel while either of the following are also true: ##It is before a consonant and is in syllable coda. ##It is at the end of a word. #'the Â rule:' Â occurs when "A" is stressed, but ONLY when between the start and end of a word, & when followed by B,S,K,D,G,Z̆, or P (unless preceded by W or Y*). Â ALWAYS occurs when between the start and end of a word & followed by Z. #'the Ê rule:' Ê ALWAYS but NOT only occurs when "E" at the end of a word is stressed. #'the Ā rule:' Ā occurs before a consonant and after the letter J, but ONLY when in syllable coda. ##Unless the consonant is an R followed by another vowel, in which case it becomes A. ###If the R is followed by a consonant, the A becomes rhotic with the R (AR). #'the UJ rule:' When forming an agent noun that describes an inanimate object, "-uj" is used instead of "-wī". This replaces any vowel that falls at the end of the base. #'the XH rule:' XH occurs in syllable coda when the next syllable begins with a vowel. #'the R rule:' R occurs only in syllable onset when preceded by a consonant, and ONLY if it is also followed by a vowel. Also occurs after all rhotic vowels. #'the Ř rule:' Ř occurs when in an infinitive. Also occurs at the beginning of a word. Also occurs in a case when R would occur if the consonant preceding it is the letter H. #'the Ŕ rule:' Ŕ occurs in syllable onset, and ONLY if preceded and followed by a vowel. Also occurs when NOT at the beginning of a syllable and preceded by a consonant ##Unless that consonant is Š, K, D, or V, in which case it becomes R. Stress Rules #The second vowel in a word is stressed, with the following exceptions: ##Ū and Ø are stressed no matter where they fall in a word unless another vowel overtakes them (see Overriding Vowels) ##If the first two vowels are "E" or "Ū", the first is stressed. ##If "I" comes before "Z̆" in the same syllable, it is stressed ##If the second vowel is "E", and the third vowel is "A", then the "A" is stressed. ##If the first two vowels are "A", and the third is NOT "A", that vowel is stressed. ##If there is just one vowel, it is stressed. ##If the first vowel is "A", and the second is "I", the "A" is stressed (unless adjacent to said "I") ###Unless followed by another "I", in which case the 2nd vowel is stressed. ##Ÿ is NEVER stressed ##When "E", "I", or "Ī" occur after a "W" that is preceded by another consonant, it is stressed. ##If the first vowel is "I", and the second vowel is the letter "A" that falls after the consonant "Z", the I is stressed. ##If the first 2 vowels are "I" and the third is "A", the "A" is stressed. ##If a word contains two vowels, and the second vowel is at the end of the word, the first vowel is stressed. #Overriding Vowels: ##Ê overrides Ä and ER ##Â overrides Ū, AR, and Ī ##ER overrides Ū ##Ø overrides Ū (unless ø is at the end of the word) ##I (when before Z̆) overrides Ū (unless Ū is the second vowel) ##I (when before Z̆) is overridden by Ô ##ŪR overrides Ø and Ū Nouns Nouns are the base unit of Řikūts̆reb grammar. Various suffixes and prefixes are added onto the noun to form various different words. When forming count nouns from mass nouns, ''-z'' is added to the end of the mass noun. If the mass noun ends in another consonant, the appropriate vowel is placed between said consonant and the z. Řikūts̆reb nouns decline only to number. They have 2 forms; Singular and plural. The plural is formed by taking the singular and adding the word "cū" before it. To represent a plural that is also a definite, the word "ec" comes before the word. Pronouns Personal Pronouns Řikūts̆reb has standalone pronouns. Unlike in other languages, there is no distinction between subject and object pronouns. Instead, they occur in either case. However, similar to the Proximate and Obviate persons in Řikūts̆reb verbs, personal pronouns are also split into Proximate and Obviate variants. The Personal Pronouns used in Řikūts̆reb are listed below. *The indirect 1st plural personal pronoun, ts̆az, is used to refer to "each one of us" as opposed to "all of us collectively". *The indirect 2nd plural personal pronoun, baz, is used to refer to "each one of you" as opposed to "all of you collectively". Correlative Pronouns Adjectives Adjectives are formed by adding the suffix ''-nav'' to the end of a noun. When conjugating into the degrees of comparison, the adjectival suffix is shortened to ''-n'', thus forming the adjectival root. The comparative suffix is then placed onto the end of the adjectival root. Adverbs Adverbs are formed by adding the suffix ''-gev'' to the end of a noun. When conjugating into the degrees of comparison, the adverbial suffix is shortened to ''-g'', thus forming the adverbial root. The comparative suffix is then placed onto the end of the adverbial root. Degrees of Comparison The Řikūts̆reb language uses 6 Degrees of Comparison, as opposed to the 2 used in English. The prefixes that are added onto the adjectival or adverbial root when using the Degrees of Comparison are listed in the chart below. Comparatives and Contraries do not use "e" before them unless the subject uses it anyways (ex. "The better man" > "'''E' jasūnezlū cin". All other degrees of comparison '''do' use "e" unless they are referring to a possessive (ex. "My best friend" > "Na jasūnezlūg džitwebū"). The comparative degrees that are unique to Řikūts̆reb are described in detail below. #The Contrary is the opposite of the Comparative, and is used to represent the shortage of something or the lack of a certain quality. #The Proclivitive is the opposite of the Superlative, and is used to represent the complete absence of a thing or quality. #The Hyperlative and the Inferlative refer to the absolute most or least amount of something possible, respectively (ex. "The best possible thing" "E jasūn'ezlūgø''' eþbī"). These forms can also be used in exaggerations (ex. "The best day ever!" ''E jasūn'ezlūgø''' narv!"). Adverbs of Comparison The ''Adverbs of Comparison correspond to "so" and "not so much" or "very" and "not as" in the English language. They are, respectively, ezūn and ezonen. Quantity When referring to a specific number of something (ex. "I have more"), the adjective Enav and its comparisons are used. (ex. "I have more." "Drefôn ''en'ezlū''."). Verbs Verbs are formed by adding the infinitive ''-řī to the end of a mass noun, if there is a corresponding mass noun. Verbs are conjugated into the following conjugation table. Proximate and Obviate Persons In the Řikūts̆reb language, the singular 3rd person, the plural 1st person, the plural 2nd person, and the plural 3rd person, all have direct and indirect variants. The Proximate Singular 3rd person is used in the following cases: # In the present indicative when addressing a 2nd party and referring to a 3rd party that is present (ex."He was not speaking to you." "Ba o'x tŕôgihwo re vaz."). # In any tense when referring to an absent 3rd party verb that affects a non-absent 3rd party personal pronoun. (ex. "They (Those things) cause them (these people) to (verb)..." ''"Cŕedūse'f''' l'az...") The Obviate Plural 1st person is used in the following cases: # In any tense when addressing a 2nd person and referring to a group that you are a part of but whose other members are absent. # In any tense when relaying a message to a 3rd party that is absent at the time but will be present at a time that you and your group are absent. In this case, the absent 3rd party is referred to in the direct plural 2nd person. (ex. "We are sorry that we were not able to attend, but we have brought to you this gift." "O'ts̆ calanav nedas ba o'ts̆'a erbênav řektâke'řī, ozê do'ts̆' o'jatbahwa es 'l'az edo idži'yi'ŕegez.") Perfect The perfect is created by conjugating ''Do'řī and adding that before the past participle of the verb in question. Do'řī is conjugated into the Past Indicative to form the Present Perfect, Present Indicative to form the Pluperfect, Future Indicative to form the Future Perfect, and the Conditional to form the Conditional Perfect. Continuous The continuous is created by conjugating O'řī and adding that before the gerund of the verb in question. O'řī follows the same conjugation procedure as Do'řī follows when conjugated into the Perfect. However, O'řī is only conjugated into the Indicative, and therefore the Continuous only has 3 tenses. Subjunctive The Řikūts̆reb language does not possess a Subjunctive mood. Instead, the Imperative Mood is used in its place. Juiscal The Juiscal Mood is a grammatical concept unique to the Řikūts̆reb language. Its name is derived from Wisc, the Řikūts̆reb word for sexual intercourse. The Juiscal Mood is used to induce or imply sexual arousal to whoever is being spoken to. The Juiscal Mood consists of two parts: the prefix and the additive. The prefix is added to the end of the verb being conjugated, and reflects the person who is being spoken to. The additive is added to the end of the subject clause as a separate word. The additive reflects the person who is speaking. The prefix and additive are virtually identical, and are listed below. * nen * vin * ken * sen * lin * men Syntax Lexicon A comprehensive dictionary of the Řikūts̆reb can be found at the Řikūts̆reb/Dictionary page. Example text This is the entry for constructedlanguages's Conlang Challenge on deviantART, which was to translate the preamble of the United States Declaration of Independence into one's conlang. The top is Řikūts̆reb Printed Script and the bottom is Latinised Řikūts̆reb. English When in the course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation. Category:Languages Category:A priori